The Promise Data and Evidence Group 12 Month Work Programme

4. Data and Evidence Group Sub-group Two: Qualitative Research

This subgroup aims to understand what qualitative data and evidence exists which could improve understanding of progress towards keeping the Promise and the views of children, families and care providers themselves in considering progress. Following an initial scoping exercise, the group’s focus will be to identify and review emerging research or literature that can support the development of qualitative mechanisms to answer the three research questions in the Promise Story of Progress. In this context, a mechanism is the method, process, and/or means by which the questions will be answered. This work will directly complement the Promise Scotland’s work to progress ‘what matters’ and access wider voice and experiential data (section 3.3.2), by identifying any additional or contrasting experiences or views. The group’s remit is to:

• Track and review emerging literature that captures the experiential data of care experience
• Propose qualitative outcomes aligned to each of the 10 Vision Statements, engaging with relevant Analytical Services Divisions in Scottish Government as appropriate
• Ensure that existing qualitative evidence aligns with future activity being developed by The Promise Scotland as part 3 of the wider Stories of Progress work.

4.1 Emerging literature

The group will set up a tracking tool to monitor emerging qualitative literature, identifying potentially valuable sources on an ongoing basis and whether their data may be accessed. The group will also review whether there are any apparent gaps in qualitative evidence to monitor Promise Progress.

Original outcomes and associated indicators were developed to reflect the readily available, existing quantitative data currently presented in The Promise Progress Framework. To support thinking around how qualitative evidence can best be used to monitor progress, the group will propose a series of qualitative outcomes relevant to each Vision Statement for the partner organisations delivering The Promise to consider, engaging analytical expertise across Scottish Government as relevant to assist with developing proposals.

4.2 Qualitative Data to inform the Promise Story of Progress

As part of the collaborative work to develop The Promise Story of Progress, The Promise Scotland is leading the development of qualitative mechanisms and initial output to answer the Promise Story of Progress question “does the care community feel the impact of progress with The Promise?”. The Scottish Government and COSLA are providing support to this work and the qualitative sub-group of the DEG is one of the ways they will do this.

The approach to addressing the care community impact question as led by The Promise Scotland will centre on using analysis of existing data held by organisations that work directly with children, young people, care-experienced adults, and families. In addition, there will be work to determine the most effective way to present the initial findings of the care community impact work, alongside those from the national and organisational-level questions, and to define how the approach and its outputs can be further developed and improved over the longer term, as per the Promise Story of Progress workplan jointly led by COSLA, Scottish Government and The Promise Scotland.

4.3 Indicative Milestones

• End of August 2025 – Literature is identified and reviewed.
• End of September 2025 – Proposed qualitative outcomes for Vision Statements.
• December 2025 – Qualitative mechanism to answer the community impact question is in place.
• Ongoing to June 2026 – Identification of studies with potential to inform progress.
• End of June 2026 – Final year one report submitted to Data and Evidence Group on relevant literature and any gaps in evidence.